Chipcard readers are known and are adapted to be incorporated into different apparatuses. One such apparatus is a telephone apparatus. The use of such a telephone apparatus will be possible only after the insertion of a proper chipcard. The prior art is represented by German published applications Nos. 29 52 442, 33 43 727, 33 43 757 and 34 02 632. Attention is also drawn to German patent application No. P 38 10 275.7 which was filed on Mar. 25, 1988. Additional prior art is known from German laid open applications Nos. 36 25 306, 36 026 668, 35 31 318 and 34 42 397.
One type of a known chipcard reader uses a stationary component made up of an upper part and a lower part. Within the stationary component a movable part in the form of a so-called contact support (also called "contact element support") is reciprocally mounted. In the upper part and the lower part of the stationary component guide means are provided for the movement of the contact support between an initial position and a reading position. The present invention relates specifically to the further development of a chipcard reader of this type.
If it is intended to insert a chipcard in such a chipcard reader, it is necessary to exert a pushing force onto the chipcard, so as to move the contact support together with the chipcard towards the reading position The contact support together with the chipcard is maintained or fixed in the reading position by a braking or holding means while the contact elements of the contact element support are held in their contacting position.
Generally, the contact support is held in the reading position against a force exerted by return spring means which tend to move the contact support back towards its initial position.
If it is desired to remove the chipcard after the reading operation has taken place, it is necessary to pull the card out of the chipcard reader by pulling at the end of the card projecting out of the chipcard reader, so as to free the card and the contact support from the brake means. During this pulling action the contact support returns towards its initial position primarily due to the action of the return spring means. A chipcard reader of this type is also referred to as a chipcard reader operating according to the push-pull principle.
Chipcard readers have to fulfil a number of strict requirements. Primarily, impeccable contact with the contacts of the chipcard has to be maintained even if multiple use occurs. Moreover, the chipcard reader should be as small as possible, so that it can be used in applications where little space is available. If, for instance, the chipcard reader is to be used in an automobile telephone, the problem of space becomes extremely severe, particularly, if one considers that there is little space in the area of the dash-board and elsewhere in the card for such a reader.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a chipcard reader, particularly one of the push-pull type, in which excellent operating characteristics are achieved and the space requirements are kept small.
It is another object of the invention to provide a chipcard reader which has a small height. It is another object of the invention to provide a chipcard reader which has a width which extends only by a minimal amount or not at all beyond the width of the chipcard. It is also desirable that the depth of the chipcard reader be small.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a chipcard reader and specifically a contacting apparatus therefor with low manufacturing costs. The low manufacturing costs are due to the low cost manufacture of the components of the reader and also due to the simplified assembly.
Depending on the kind of application, the chipcard reader can be used together with a lower part (base) and also without such a lower part in an apparatus.